Closings

Severe Weather

2012 hurricane season another for the record books

The 2012 hurricane season has come to an end and it's another one for the record books, above and beyond the destruction of Sandy.

There were 19 named storms in what meteorologists consider an above-average year that tied as being the third most-active season since 1851.

Even without a so-called major storm reaching the U.S. there was plenty of damage. A storm is classed as major once its top sustained winds reach 111 miles per hour.

Sandy morphed from hurricane to superstorm on its way to wreaking havoc across the Northeast. It left millions without power and killed at least 125 people in the U.S. and 71 in the Caribbean.

Hurricane Isaac caused severe damage in the Caribbean before coming ashore Aug. 28 near the mouth of the Mississippi River. At least seven deaths from Isaac were reported in Louisiana and Mississippi.

Isaac created heavy rain and flooding in areas of central and south Mississippi. Hundreds of residents sought refuge in shelters across the state, including the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson. More than 30 Mississippi counties were declared disaster areas in the wake of Isaac.

Seven years have gone by without a major hurricane making U.S. landfall, the longest stretch on record.